Lanman

I have the 1994 3vze 3.0 V6 4Runner. No ABS only rear anti-lock.

The pads were low so I had a local mechanic check them. He/They replaced the pads with Bendix pads. The caliper on the driver side would not push back so he installed a new caliper. Mechanic said it was frozen. I asked to change the passenger side caliper but was told not nessesary, because it was not frozen.

Problem:
The pedal feels hard at startup. The car moves as if the brakes are on. When I am at the stop light waiting, I can let the foot off the brake pedal and the car does not move forward.

After serveral minutes of driving the car moves freely again. With my foot off the brake pedal while waiting at the stop light the car moves forward again. But, while driving and braking the pedal is low.

What can be done to remedy this problem? What are the steps?

Thanks for any assistance.

Jay351

Sounds like you got some air in the lines.

Also, you ALWAYS replace brake parts in pairs. You want things to wear even, now you have one new caliper and one old gunky one. I would replace the other one ( I replaced both mine recently). Did your mechanic replace the soft lines running to the caliper too? These things should be done all at once.

toytech76

I wouldnt do that. Thats alot of extra stuff you don't need. If your other caliper is ok, you shouldnt replace it. You shouldnt ever need to replace your hoses unless they leak or you are upgrading. Selling all of that to someone and telling them they NEED it can be punishable by the BAR. There is a fine line of what you say and do regarding repairs. Did he adjust your rear brakes at the same time? Maybe too tight. I recommend using toyota pads for wear qualities and the noise factor. (or lack thereof). Your new caliper might be holding and not releasing. Take it back

Jay351

The soft hoses for the front calipers should be changed if you do your calipers. For the cost its cheap insurance. I didn't say he NEEDS it, but its a good thing to do. Thats like saying your car doesnt NEED to have its oil changed every 3k but you do it as cheap insurance....

Those are my recomendations, thats how I do it on my truck at least..

CoedNaked

I just had a complete front brake job at a Toyota dealership that a family member of mine works at. I had a slighty seized caliper so the tech who is a Master Toyota Technician and the BEST TOYOTA MASTER TECH in Canada replaced both front calipers (and rotors, and brakes, shims, etc.) - you replace them in pairs. I agree with Jay 351 - should have done 'em both "while you're down there."

Also sounds like you need to take the brakes back to the guy who did 'em.

toytech76

I guess its hard to fully explain to people who arn't technicians how and why certain things are done. Of course the dealership is gonna sell you EVERYTHING they can as well as alot of hack shops will too. Its a persons personal perogative to replace everything yes, but personally as a technician I don not like selling customers alot of extra things they dont NEED. When a tech works on commission, the more you sell, the bigger your paycheck

toytech76

Honestly i'm not trying to sound like a dick. Its just how I personally like doing business

CoedNaked

Just to let you know, seeing as how the dealership I go to is also the same dealership a family member of mine works at, I'm wondering how I could personaly be ripped off? I know the tech who works on my vehilce and he just happens to be one hell of a tech. He's a pretty frugal guy and has saved me money in the past from unneccessary work at that some boogey monsters on Yotatech were trying to scare people into doing. But he's also practical too.

In the grand scheme of things in today's world it makes sense in a lot of cases in the big picture to replace other things "while you're down there." If you got the brakes apart and the fluid drained, and you got a seized caliper and the calipers have high K on them, why not replace them in pairs? Yes, maybe that one fine caliper might work, but what are the chances that the old caliper will last as long as the new pads will considering the other sides caliper seized? Are you willing to take the chance to have your brakes pulled apart again and pay even more in labour if it does? It's the same as doing a water pump when you have the timing cover off and all that. Yes, most water pumps might be good to go for a little while but you're there and in the big picture it saves $$$.

I'm still with Jay on this one.

GSGALLANT

I'm still trying to figure out why your family member's dealership sold you new calipers instead of rebuilding both of your old ones for $40 in parts and an hour's labour. All dealerships are in the business of making money... period! A caliper replacement or rebuild is easy, and very little has to be removed to get to the caliper, so there is no advantage of replacing it "while you're in there." If it goes bad, rebuild it.

If the dealership tells you that it's going to cost more to rebuild a caliper than to replace it, and you can't rebuild it yourself, then you're sort of stuck... and you're either getting a hell of a deal on your new caliper (which are usually around $250 each or more for new ones), or they're screwing you on the labour to rebuild your old one (the only thing is if all four of your pistons on each caliper are pitted and need to be replaced, which is unlikely unless you totally ignored your brake system since it was new, then the price for the rebuild would be about $60 more per caliper for new pistons.)

Yodaforce

What's up with people not wanting to get their hands dirty and do it themselves. You know, you can buy a simple $12 Haynes manual from your auto parts store and with some pretty standard tools do it yourself. Even if you have never done it before, it is a step by step procedure that my 12 year old daughter can do. Maybe some people are just scared they'll mess up (or get dirt under their nails). Besides, isn't this Yotatech? Not Yota"hire a mechanic".

Jay351

If people want to pay to get sombody to work on their truck, im not going to object to that. If you can do it yourself, great, if not (regardless the reason) thats fine too.


I will still stand by my original post, brake componants should be replaced/rebuilt in pairs, and those soft lines should be replaced when your doing somthing like this. IIRC they are around 20 bucks from the parts store.

GSGALLANT

Brake pads & rotors and shoes & drums should be replaced in pairs, sure. But calipers... no way. Repair or replace them as necessary.

CoedNaked

Well I guess it's to each their own with brakes.

Jay351

True that. I recomend that you replace all brake componants in pairs, but its up to you if you do so.

toytech76

Thank you! I fully agree

Lanman

Thanks all for your assistance.

I read the Haynes and Chilton on the replacement of the caliper or the rebuilt kit for the piston and bleeding the brakes.

I will resolve this myself instead of taking it to the mechanic. I used to work on my Subaru's brakes a few years ago, so I should be able to handle the 4runner's brakes.

I feel the mechanic should of changed both calipers and made sure the brakes where bleed correctly. And I had to ask about the missing shim on the passenger side after he finnished with it and went to work on the driver's side.